Gas lift



' W. R. STUCK GAS LIFT Filed April 6. 1925 Patented Get. 15, 1929 UN' TATES WILLIAM n. s'rUoK, or LosAnGELEs, GALIFORNI GAs LIFT Application filed April 6,

x, string above the point of the admission of the An object of this invention is to provide a simple and durable construct-ion of apparatus for admitting gas into the fluid string at a .5: Ypeint above the normal level of the fluid within the Well so as to elevate the fluid to the surface of the well.

An object of this invention is to provide a connecting collar construction in which f means are provided for admitting air intothe liuid string when the collar is in position and in which there is also provided a simple and effective means for controlling the direction of tic flow through the gas admitting means,

Another object of this invention is to provide a check valve adapted to be connected with a collar and when so connected does not materially weaken the collar or materially decrease the clearance of such a collar when the "2c same is positioned in the well.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following dc-y tailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated 'in the accompanying i drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a well illustrating the fluid string as partly in section so as to show the approximate positi-on of the pump plunger within the well.A

1li 2 is a central sectional side elevation of a collar illustrating the same as connecting two fragments of a fluid string and illustrating a check valve embodying this invention attached thereto.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central sectional front elevation of a check valve embodied in this invention.

isza sriai No. 211,216'.

In the'pr'eferred' embodiment of thisinveiitiony illustrated in the drawings, 1 indicates well' casing, 2 the welly tubi-ng or fluid string, and 3 sucker roda-connected to an oilwellpump piston 4 of any suitable construction atH the' lower endv and connected to awalking beam 5 inany desired manner' at the upper end'. AT or head 6 is connected to the fluid string 2- at its upper endand'is connected with a pipe 7 to which the oill pumped from the well is carriedtoa tank 8. Gonnectedto the upper end of acasingl is af casing. head 9 W'hichvis connected toy a Igasv conduitV 1Q, Vwhich galsv conduit connectsyt'o a pump" 11` which" pump 11 takes the glas collected above the oil in the tank 8 through a pipe line 12 Aand pumps-the same under pressure through the pipe 10 and casing head 9 into the well casing 1 on the exterior of thefluid string 2.- A collar 13 in which a check valve 14 is' secured is connected in the yfluid string 2 ina position subtantia-llyat the levelv of the oil within the wel y The collar 13 and the check valve- `14y are preferably of the following construction and manner of assembly: y y f The collar 13 is plan'ed as illustrated at 15 to forma recess within whicha check valve block 16 is adapted toclosely lit. The check valve blockis spotwelded .within the recess 15 around itsentire edge so-thatf' the same is formed integral with the'col'lai'- 13 and does lnotmateriallyy decrease thestrength of the collar 13.v The block 14 isypreferablyfnconstructed as illustrated'inFig. 4,-and a" port 17fi`s boredthrough the lowerendof the blockj A16 and is bored approximately' at the center to forma'p'ort 18=which communicates'with theport17. The port18'is'r'eainedito forml aiienlarged chamber 119 in which a'ball`-` 20 is" positioned,lthe.upper endzof the walls' of the port 18 beingcutaway tol form aseat 21 for tlie-ball2().

A plug 22 is insertedv within thel portv 18 above the" chamber 19fandis-'securely weldedinaV positiv-ou.v gasoutlet port23is bored'fron'il the rearI ofthev block 16 to communicate-with the chamber 19 and'V a' lbore 24 isformed through the collarl 13 in. position tocommw will nicate with the port 23 when the block 16 is communication between the valve chamber positioned within the recess 15.

The operation of my gas lift is as follows:

and the interior of the said collar.

Signed at Los Angeles, California this The oil pump 4L actuated from the walking 26th day of March, 1925.

beam 5 raises the fluid Within the Well to a position above the collar 13. Gas under pressure from the pump 11, or any other suitable source of gas pressure, flows through the ports 17, 18, raises the ball valve 2O from its seat and passes through the port 23 and bore 211 and is injected into the interior of the collar 13 into the oil raised by the pump Y 1.. The buoyancy of the gas and the pressure thereof raises the fluid from this level through the fluid string vto the head 6, through the pipe 7 into the tank 8 where the gas separates from the oil and is again used for the purpose of supplying the fluid pressure for actuating the gas lift.

In practice, the bore 17 in the block 16 for use with a 21/2 collar is preferably fg in diameter. The bore 18 is preferably 1/4 in diameter so that the combined area of the two leads from the opposite sides 0f the block 16 through the port 17 have a combined cross sectional area slightly in excess of the cross sectional area of the port 18. The port 23 is of smaller cross sectional area than the port 18 so that the gas is injected into the interior of the collar 13.

Having fully described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction and illustrative sizes of construction, which may, obviously, be varied in detail Without departing from the spirit of my invention, but the same is of the scope of the appended claims.

Y I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a gas lift of a fluid string, a collar in said string, a check valve in said collar, said check valve comprising a block having a longitudinally extending pasage through its lower end, a verticalport approximately centrally disposed in the block and communicating at its lower end with the longitudinal passage and at its upper end with a valve chamber, and a ltransversely extending port for establishing communication with the valve chamber andthe interior of the collar.

2l In combination with a gas lift, a fluid string, a collar in said string having a recess formed therein, and a .check valve block adapted to be secured in position iny said recess and having a longitudinally extending passage through its lower portion, avertical port approximately centrally disposed in the bloclnand communicating at its lower end with the longitudinal passage and at itsupperend with a valve chamber, a ball check valve mounted within the chamber, and a transversely extending port for establishing WILLIAM R. STCK. 

